Three test positive in CPADAO mandatory drug tests

Two surrenderers and one government employee tested positive for illegal drug use in two separate mandatory drug testing administered by the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) in Dalaguete town and Naga City last week.

Two drug surrenderers from Dalaguete town tested positive for drug use in the mandatory drug testing conducted as part of the protocol of the treatment program. CPADAO Chief Carmen Ivy DuranoMeca said that the two cannot be convicted even if they tested positive.

“The drug testing for the surrenderers is for its monitoring purpose. We cannot use the result against them but it will be used as a basis for the extension of their treatment program,” she said.

The testing is intended to also help determine the degree of addiction. CPADAO is still tracing if the two were from drug-cleared barangays. If they were and if they will still test positive after another period of time, it will be grounds for the revocation of a barangay's drugcleared status.

At present, only three barangays in Dalaguete were proclaimed drugcleared, namely Dugyan, Obong, and Tabon.

Meanwhile, a government joborder (JO) employee in Naga City tested positive for methamphetamine, locally known as shabu.

Meca said that government JOs who test positive for drug use will automatically be dismissed from their post.

In the first four weeks of 2018, CPADAO has conducted at least three mandatory drug testing in three local government units.

Meca added that this year, their office also aims to strengthen drugfree workplaces in the private sector and not just in the government offices.

She described that a lot of the surrenderers who have graduated from the community-based treatment and rehabilitation programs have found employment in the private sector and keeping them in check is the duty of the employer.